After he had finished
speaking in the hearing of the people, he entered into Capernaum. A certain centurion's servant, who
was dear to him, was sick and at the point of death. When he heard about Jesus, he sent
to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and save his servant.
When they came to Jesus,
they begged him earnestly, saying, "He is worthy for you to do this
for him, for he loves our
nation, and he built our synagogue for us." Jesus went with them. When he was
now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying to
him, "Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I am not worthy for you to
come under my roof. Therefore I didn't even think
myself worthy to come to you; but say the word, and my servant will be
healed. For I also am a
man placed under authority, having under myself soldiers. I tell this one,
'Go!' and he goes; and to another, 'Come!' and he comes; and to my
servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."
When Jesus heard these
things, he marveled at him, and turned and said to the multitude who
followed him, "I tell you, I have not found such
great faith, no, not in Israel." Those who were sent, returning to
the house, found that the servant who had been sick was well.

Jesus Raises a Widow's Son

It happened soon
afterwards, that he went to a city called Nain. Many of his disciples,
along with a great multitude, went with him. Now when he drew near to the gate
of the city, behold, one who was dead was carried out, the only son of his
mother, and she was a widow. Many people of the city were with her.
When the Lord saw her, he
had compassion on her, and said to her, "Don't
cry." He came
near and touched the coffin, and the bearers stood still. He said, "Young man, I tell you, arise!" He who was dead sat up, and began
to speak. And he gave him to his mother.
Fear took hold of all,
and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has arisen among
us!" and, "God has visited his people!" This report went out concerning
him in the whole of Judea, and in all the surrounding region.

Jesus and John the Baptist

The disciples of John
told him about all these things. John, calling to himself two of
his disciples, sent them to Jesus, saying, "Are you the one who is
coming, or should we look for another?" When the men had come to him,
they said, "John the Baptizer has sent us to you, saying, 'Are you he
who comes, or should we look for another?'"
In that hour he cured
many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits; and to many who were blind
he gave sight. Jesus
answered them, "Go and tell John the things which you
have seen and heard: that the blind receive their sight, the lame walk,
the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the
poor have good news preached to them. Blessed is he who is not offended
by me."When John's messengers
had departed, he began to tell the multitudes about John, "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed
shaken by the wind? But
what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft clothing? Behold, those
who are gorgeously dressed, and live delicately, are in kings' courts.
But what did you go out
to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written,

"For I tell you, among those
who are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the
Baptizer, yet he who is least in the Kingdom of God is greater than
he."When all the people
and the tax collectors heard this, they declared God to be just, having
been baptized with John's baptism. But the Pharisees and the lawyers
rejected the counsel of God, not being baptized by him themselves.
But the
Lord said, "To what then will I liken the people
of this generation? What are they like? They are like children who sit in
the marketplace, and call one to another, saying, 'We piped to you, and
you didn't dance. We mourned, and you didn't weep.' For John the Baptizer came
neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.'
The Son of Man has come
eating and drinking, and you say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man, and a
drunkard; a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Wisdom is justified by all her
children."

One of the Pharisees
invited him to eat with him. He entered into the Pharisee's house, and sat
at the table. Behold, a
woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that he was reclining in
the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of ointment. Standing behind at his feet
weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and she wiped them with
the hair of her head, kissed his feet, and anointed them with the
ointment. Now when the
Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, "This man,
if he were a prophet, would have perceived who and what kind of woman this
is who touches him, that she is a sinner."
Jesus answered him,
"Simon, I have something to tell you."He said, "Teacher, say on."
"A certain lender had two debtors. The one owed five
hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they couldn't pay, he
forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him most?"Simon answered,
"He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most."
He said to him, "You have judged
correctly." Turning to the woman, he said to
Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered into your
house, and you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with
her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave me no kiss, but she,
since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet. You didn't anoint my head with
oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins,
which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is
forgiven, the same loves little." He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."Those who sat at the
table with him began to say to themselves, "Who is this who even
forgives sins?"
He said to the woman,
"Your faith has saved you. Go in peace."